Sarah Jayne pictured alongside the quayside in Exmouth. Photo by Simon Horn. Ref exe 2175-35-10SH To order your copy of this photograph visit www.exmouthjournal.co.uk and click on myphotos24

A missing crew member of an Exmouth trawler sunk off Berry Head on Tuesday morning was still onboard when the vessel capsized, the coastguard said.

A major air and sea rescue is underway for a fisherman missing from Exmouth15-metre beam trawler, Sarah Jayne, skippered by Geoff Ingram.

Brixham coastguard picked up a distress alert from the fishing vessel Girl Rhona at 11:24am, informing them that a fishing vessel had capsized 2.5 miles off Berry Head, Brixham, and they had managed to retrieve two of the three fishermen from the water.

A Brixham coastguard spokesperson said: “Two of the three crew have been rescued but the third was still on board when the vessel capsized. The search is ongoing.”

The identity of the missing fisherman is not known, or the condition of the rescued men.

Lifeboats from Exmouth and Torquay are involved in the search and also the coastguard helicopter from Portland.

The coastguard spokesperson added: “The coastguard rescue helicopter was scrambled from Portland and the Torbay RNLI lifeboat was requested to launch.

“A Mayday broadcast was put out to shipping in the area and a number of vessels including the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Wave Knight have offered assistance in the search currently being coordinated by Brixham coastguard.”